Comparison study of the surgical plasty of bone defects for distal humerus fractures

Objective: to compare the outcomes of surgical plasty of bone defects of various localization with block allografts or spongy bone powder for distal humerus fractures. Material and methods. The study included 56 patients with comminuted distal humerus fractures divided into 3 groups based on the bone defect location and 2 subgroups based to the replacement method used for them. The functional outcomes were evaluated based on the indicators of the Broberg and Morrey scale, pain was evaluated based on the Visual Analogue Scale. Results. The amplitude of flexion-extension movements of the elbow joint in patients with defects of the medial column reached 90±5° (p=0.04) 1.5 months after surgical plasty with a block allograft and 75±6° with the use of spongiosus allograft. 3 months after surgical block graft surgery, the strength and pain in elbow joint for defects in the central zone reached 80±2 points (p=0.01), lateral — 82±3 points (p=0.01) and medial epicondyles — 88±4 points (p=0.03). Conclusion. The plasty of the defect with a block allograft in distal humerus fractures increases the multiplane range of motion in 1.5 months after the surgery for the medial column defects, improves strength and flexion-extensional range of motion, reduces pain in 3 months after the surgery for the bone defects in the medial, lateral or central metaphyseal areas.